Why the stakes for college matter more than ever

“It is different now.”  Ray, a father of a junior from Lyme Old Lyme High School, noted when his wife suggested that maybe they were making too big a deal about the college process.  Ron is an executive in a multinational company.

Ray’s wife noted that he rose to his position despite having attended a local state school.

“That was 30 years ago.” Ray countered. “I wouldn’t get an interview at my company today. You should see the resumes…” He went on to list different name-brand colleges.

I am often the voice of calm in these meetings.  I note that certain career paths do not require a pedigree.  I still get Christmas cards from a student-client from 15 years ago who is now an elementary school teacher.  Her parents were putting enormous pressure on her to gain admission to elite colleges.  I had gently pointed out that she didn’t need to go to Harvard if she wanted to become an elementary school teacher.  That statement had a big effect on her relationship with her parents, who, subsequently, took my advice to heart.

In this instance, the student-client in question had more conventionally ambitious aspirations. Although he didn’t know what he wanted to do with any specificity, he expressed the desire “to get rich” and “be a big success”.

Could he reach his goals if he attended a small state college?  Sure.

But college is an asset that creates leverage. Think about using a lever to lift anything.  The longer the lever, the easier it is to move something upward.

So, it is with college. And, to Ray’s point, “it is different now.”

The world is… in a word…. “nuts”.  You/me/our children need every advantage available.  A good college is one such advantage.